Kinematica: Inference-Based Rapid Resource Exploration Scenario Testing. This project aims to build a new workflow for improving resource exploration evaluation by Australian companies and applied to three practical industry cases in frontier basins. The expected outcomes of this proposal are: detailed risk analysis of oil and gas prospectivity in frontier basins onshore and offshore Australia; a new strategic collaboration between Australian industry, government and universities; students train ....Kinematica: Inference-Based Rapid Resource Exploration Scenario Testing. This project aims to build a new workflow for improving resource exploration evaluation by Australian companies and applied to three practical industry cases in frontier basins. The expected outcomes of this proposal are: detailed risk analysis of oil and gas prospectivity in frontier basins onshore and offshore Australia; a new strategic collaboration between Australian industry, government and universities; students trained in advanced computational methods suitable for the evolving Australian oil and gas industry; and a software product that has high commericalisation potential. The project will transfer knowledge from European industry and universities to Australia and has applications for mineral prospectivity in sedimentary basins. Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional Bayesian Modelling of Geological and Geophysical data. The project aims to develop technologies enabling rapid informed decision-making related to the management of natural resources, including critical metals, copper and water. This new technology will support a greener future, securing our energy future, our access to clean water and reduce the mining footprint. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capability in interoperable, integrated three-dimensional geological and geop ....Three-dimensional Bayesian Modelling of Geological and Geophysical data. The project aims to develop technologies enabling rapid informed decision-making related to the management of natural resources, including critical metals, copper and water. This new technology will support a greener future, securing our energy future, our access to clean water and reduce the mining footprint. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capability in interoperable, integrated three-dimensional geological and geophysical modelling in order to predictively characterise sub-surface geology. The outcome will be an open-source forecasting dashboard enabling decision making while considering underlying risk related to resource extractions and management with significant benefits to the Australian society (lower emissions, clean water).Read moreRead less
The Rare Earth Potential of the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. The Gascoyne Region of Western Australia is an emerging Neodymium-rich rare earth district in its early stages of development. The mineral occurrences of the region are complex and their geological distribution and source(s) remain unclear. With the support of all the active explorers in the region, a better understanding of the entire mineral system is sought to maximise exploration efficiency. This project aims to undertake ....The Rare Earth Potential of the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia. The Gascoyne Region of Western Australia is an emerging Neodymium-rich rare earth district in its early stages of development. The mineral occurrences of the region are complex and their geological distribution and source(s) remain unclear. With the support of all the active explorers in the region, a better understanding of the entire mineral system is sought to maximise exploration efficiency. This project aims to undertake a full assessment of the minerals, their processing and the environmental impact of production to determine the potential of the region. The expected outcome of the project is to develop a world-class rare earth mineral district in Australia, to ensure future supplies of these strategically important metals. Read moreRead less
Mapping mineral systems of deep Australia. We aim at enabling mineral resource discoveries by calibrating geophysical surveys using geochemical and petrophysical properties measured on mantle samples brought to the surface by recent volcanoes. National geophysical surveys deliver images of geophysical gradients in the deeper part of the Australian continent. The interpretation of these gradients in geological terms and in terms of economic mineral systems is the key to unlock deep exploration su ....Mapping mineral systems of deep Australia. We aim at enabling mineral resource discoveries by calibrating geophysical surveys using geochemical and petrophysical properties measured on mantle samples brought to the surface by recent volcanoes. National geophysical surveys deliver images of geophysical gradients in the deeper part of the Australian continent. The interpretation of these gradients in geological terms and in terms of economic mineral systems is the key to unlock deep exploration success. This project will turn Australia’s investment in National geophysical surveys into new discoveries of base metals. The benefit stems from enabling the transition to a clean economy which requires a much broader range of critical minerals and a larger quantity of base metals.Read moreRead less
Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty a ....Enabling three dimensional stochastic geological modelling. This project aims to develop technologies to mitigate three dimensional (3D) geological risk in resources management. This project expects to create new knowledge and methods in the field of 3D geological modelling through the innovative application of mathematical methods, structural geology concepts and probabilistic programming. The expected outcomes are an enhanced capability to model the subsurface, characterise model uncertainty and test multiple geological scenarios. This enhanced capability is important for the future of Australia's subsurface management, including urban geology and our continuously growing sustainable resources industry.Read moreRead less
What goes on inside subduction zones? This project aims to decipher how rocks behave inside subduction zones. Subduction is a central tenant of plate tectonic theory and the project will test the hypothesis rocks can become trapped within giant long-lived eddies that circulate material within subduction zones. This international collaborative project will generate new knowledge regarding the time scales rocks can remain trapped inside subduction zones using pressure–temperature–age constraints f ....What goes on inside subduction zones? This project aims to decipher how rocks behave inside subduction zones. Subduction is a central tenant of plate tectonic theory and the project will test the hypothesis rocks can become trapped within giant long-lived eddies that circulate material within subduction zones. This international collaborative project will generate new knowledge regarding the time scales rocks can remain trapped inside subduction zones using pressure–temperature–age constraints from subducted rocks. We will use this information as a framework for numerical simulations of subduction zone behaviour. The project will provide significant benefits in training a new generation of Earth scientists, and in broadening public awareness of fundamental Earth science.Read moreRead less
Lifting the lid on a supercontinent. This project will reveal the time-integrated growth and collapse of a supercontinental orogen in order to advance knowledge on the influence that mountain-building events have on the cycling of materials between the major near surface Earth reservoirs. Given that this cycling is key to understanding deep-time climate and the formation of mineral resources the outcomes of this study will have important economic benefits for targeting mineral resources and plac ....Lifting the lid on a supercontinent. This project will reveal the time-integrated growth and collapse of a supercontinental orogen in order to advance knowledge on the influence that mountain-building events have on the cycling of materials between the major near surface Earth reservoirs. Given that this cycling is key to understanding deep-time climate and the formation of mineral resources the outcomes of this study will have important economic benefits for targeting mineral resources and placing the geochemical proxies for the deep-time climate in context. Read moreRead less
Jurassic arc? Reconstructing the lost world of Eastern Australia. This project aims to resolve a long-standing enigma about the geological formation of the Great Artesian Basin – Australia’s most important onshore reservoir for groundwater and hydrocarbon resources. Specifically, the project will integrate sedimentological and geochemical studies to investigate the geodynamic configuration of Eastern Australia during the Jurassic Period of basin formation. The intended outcomes are an improved u ....Jurassic arc? Reconstructing the lost world of Eastern Australia. This project aims to resolve a long-standing enigma about the geological formation of the Great Artesian Basin – Australia’s most important onshore reservoir for groundwater and hydrocarbon resources. Specifically, the project will integrate sedimentological and geochemical studies to investigate the geodynamic configuration of Eastern Australia during the Jurassic Period of basin formation. The intended outcomes are an improved understanding of the evolution of the Australian continent and better knowledge of the formation of intercontinental sedimentary basins, which includes better assessment of their potential to contain hydrocarbon resources.Read moreRead less
Deciphering the tectonic record of the early Earth. This project aims to decipher how and why plate tectonics emerged, and how any precursor tectonic system modulated planetary heat loss. The project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the tectonic record of the early Earth using pressure–temperature–age constraints from truly ancient (2.8–4.0 billion year old) metamorphosed rocks worldwide. Expected outcomes of this collaborative international project include the development of a concep ....Deciphering the tectonic record of the early Earth. This project aims to decipher how and why plate tectonics emerged, and how any precursor tectonic system modulated planetary heat loss. The project expects to generate new knowledge regarding the tectonic record of the early Earth using pressure–temperature–age constraints from truly ancient (2.8–4.0 billion year old) metamorphosed rocks worldwide. Expected outcomes of this collaborative international project include the development of a conceptual geodynamic model for the early Earth. This should provide significant benefits in permitting a better understanding of the where and why of Australia’s natural resources, in training a new generation of Earth system scientists, and in broadening public awareness of fundamental Earth science.
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